Apparatus for squamiform lapping of blanks



July 9, 1963 R. WINKLER ETAL APPARATUS FOR SQUAMIFORM LAPPING OF BLANKS Filed Nov. 10, 1960 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 uli 1963 R. WINKLER ETAL 3,095,977

APPARATUS FOR SQUAMIFORM LAPPING 0F BLANKS Filed Nov. 10. 1960 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 yaw/6W A TTORNEK July 9, 1963 R. WINKLER ETAL APPARATUS FOR SQUAMIFORM LAPPING OF BLANKS Filed Nov. 10. 1960 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 CR5. z /e/ ATTo/NEx INVENT P/abard 144)? 16? 0477/79 July 9, 1963 R. WINKLER ETAL APPARATUS FOR SQUAMIFORM LAPPING OF BLANKS Filed Nov. 10, 1960 6 SheetsSheet 4 4 TTOIQNE K July 9, 1963 R. WINKLER ETAL APPARATUS FOR SQUAMIFORM LAPPING 0F BLANKS 6 SheetsSheet 5 Filed NOV. 10. 1960 A TTORNEK United States Patent 3,096,977 APPARATUS FOR SQUAMIFORM LAPPING OF BLANKS Richard Winkler, Rengsdorf, near Neuwied, Rhineland, and Kurt Diinnebier, Wollendorf, near Neuwied, Rhineland, Germany, assignors to Berkley Machine Company, Kansas City, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Filed Nov. 10, 196i), Ser. No. 68,385 Claims priority, application Germany Dec. 5, 1959 11 Claims. (Cl. 271-2) This invention relates to an apparatus for the squamiform lapping of blanks while the blanks are in continuous movement.

For example, in the manufacture of envelopes the blanks are conveyed in squamiform relation, that is, lapped to a greater or less extent, in order that only portions of the individual blanks are uncovered for application of adhesive thereto or to reduce their speed of travel through the various folding and gumming mechanisms of an envelope making machine, thereby enabling a shorter structural length of the machine.

In some types of envelope making machines, preformed blanks are drawn off a pile and into the machine without being lapped. In other types, the blanks are produced from a continuous web of paper. In either case, the blanks are initially conveyed individually and it is desir able to cause lapping of the blanks for the reasons mentioned above. Lapping or staggering of the blanks is usually effected in such a manner that each individual blank is brought up by a conveyor means to a pair of rollers rotating at a considerably slower speed to serve as a stop of the blanks as they arrive at the speed of the conveyor means and to convey the blanks at the lower speed to elfect the desired overlap according to the difference between the two speeds.

Sudden stopping or braking of the rapidly moving blanks at the point of contact with the pair of rollers rotating at a considerably lower speed leads to tearing or otherwise damaging the edges of the blanks that strike the abutment rollers, if the blanks exceed a certain speed. Thus a limit is imposed on any further increase in the speed of the envelope making machine that is needed to increase the output capacity thereof.

Slow braking of the blanks has heretofore been accomplished by friction means, for example, by contacting of the blanks by brushes, vacuum or other means for placing a drag on the blanks, but such means disarrange the blanks in relation to the working rhythm of the machine, and to insure even overlapping of the blanks in their proper relation requires additional means for aligning the blanks after they have been retarded. When the blanks have been previously printed, the drag method of slowing the blanks involves a further risk of smudging the fresh printing.

It is, therefore, the principal objects of the present invention to avoid these difliculties by reducing the effect of the braking action on the blanks and at the same time provide for accurate overlap of the blanks at speeds necessary for increasing output of envelope making machines.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention as hereinafter pointed out, the apparatus for conveying the overlapped blanks at high speed is preceded by one or more staggering wheels over which the blanks are conveyed, each staggering wheel being in cooperation with one or more pairs of braking rollers operating at a slower peripheral speed, by which the surface speed of the blanks is reduced and the blanks are caused to be overlapped in one or more stages. When more than one stage is employed, the braking action is such that the fore or leading edges of the blanks may come into direct contact with the braking rollers because the relative speeds may be kept 3,995,977 Patented July 9, 1963 below the ratio that causes damage to the edges of the blanks. However, when employing a single staggering wheel, the invention utilizes braking rollers that make contact with the surface of the blanks rearwardly of the leading edges thereof, while preserving the correct position thereof in relation to the rhythm of the machine.

The preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein.

FIG. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section. of a preferred embodiment of the invention, employing a multi-stage slowing and lapping of the blanks in an envelope making machine.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the form of the invention shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a detailed section on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2, particularly illustrating the braking rollers.

FIG. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section through another form of the invention, employing a single staggering Wheel.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a detailed sectional view on the line 6-6 of FIG. 5, to better illustrate the braking rollers.

FIG. 7 is a vertical longitudinal section through a further modified form of the invention employing a single staggering wheel.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the form of invention illustrated in FIG. 7, and

FIG. 9 is a detailed section on the line 9-9 of FIG. 8, particularly illustrating the braking rollers.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, and first to the form of invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, inclus1ve:

1 and 2 designate the longitudinal side frames of an envelope making machine in which envelope blanks 3 may be supplied from a stack of preformed blanks or from a paper web from which the blanks are formed. In either event, the blanks are advanced individually and in spaced apart relation by a suitable conveying mechanism, which may be a roll 4, to the blank lapping or squamiform staggering apparatus. The blank lapping or squam-iform staggering apparatus includes a staggering wheel 5. The staggering wheel 5 is fixed to a transverse shaft 6 which is mounted for rotation in the side frames 1 and 2 of the envelope machine and is kept in rotation in the direction of the arrow 7 by means of a gear mechanism (not shown) connected with an outer end of the shaft 6 and driven in time with the travel of the blanks, so that on each halfrevolution an envelope blank 3 is supplied to the staggering wheel 5.

The staggering wheel 5 has -a cylindrical peripheral face 9 provided with suction ports 10, -11 and 12 in connection with passageways 13. The opposite diarnetrical side of the wheel has correspondingly arranged ports 10', 11 and 12 connected with corresponding passageways 13'. Suc tion is effected through the passageways. 13 and 13' by intermittent connection thereof With a source of vacuum in any known manner and through a conventional control means, not illustrated. The staggering wheel 5 is arranged on the shaft 6 and the cylindrical face 9 is of such width that it engages and supports only the midportions of the envelope blanks 3 as they are passed by the roll 4 and seized by the suction through the ports 10, 11 and 12. The staggering wheel 5 is timed so that the suction ports engage the bottom flap portion of one blank while the ports 10', 11' and 12' engage the bottom flap portion of the following blank as the blanks are delivered by the feed roll 4. The blanks are thus carried in successive order on the face of the staggering wheel 5 into gripping engagement with a pair of laterally spaced braking rollers 14 and 15 that are of substantially smaller diameter than the staggering Wheel.

The braking rollers 14 and 15 are fixed on a transverse 3 shaft 16 extending across the face of the staggering Wheel 5. The ends of the shaft 16 are journaled in the side frames 1 and 2 and the shaft is rotated in the direction of the arrow 17 (FIG. 1) by a gear 18 (FIG. 2), so that the peripheral speed of the braking rollers 14 and 15 is considerably less than the peripheral speed of the staggering wheel 5. The braking rollers 14 and 15 are adjustably mounted on the shaft 16 to be positioned at the sides of the staggering Wheel in accordance with the size of the blank, so that the peripheral faces 19 of the braking rollers 14 and 15 preferably engage the side flap portions 20 of the envelope blanks, as shown in FIG. 2. The braking rollers are retained from turning movement on the shaft by keys 21 and are secured in adjusted position by fastening devices such as set screws 22 carried by hub portions 23 of the braking rollers to engage the keys 21.

Cooperating with each of the braking rollers 14 and 15 are pressure rollers 24, each having peripheral faces 26 which engage the undersurface of the side flap portions 20 in alignment with the peripheral faces 19 of the braking rollers, to press the flap portions 2d of the blanks in driven engagement with the braking rollers 14 and 15, whereby the surface speed of the blanks is reduced relatively to the peripheral speed of the staggering wheel 5, as later to be described. The pressure rollers 24 are each mounted for free rotation on journals 27 carried on the forward ends of forked levers 28. The forked levers are respectively rockable on pins 29 projecting inwardly from the inner faces of the respective side frames 1 and 2. The pressure rollers 24 are retained in pressing contact with the blanks 3 by holders 30' which are mounted on the pins 29 within the forked portions of the forked levers and have tail portions 31 for seating springs 32 that bear against the underside of the forked levers 28, as clearly shown in FIG. 3. The holders 30 are adjustably retained in fixed position on the pins 29 by set screws 33 to permit adjustment of the action of the springs 32.

With this arrangement, a foremost blank on the staggering wheel is released by shutoff of the suction at the time the leading edges of the side flap portions 20 of the blank reach the pressure point between the braking rollers 14 and and the pressure rollers 24, so that the braking and pressure rollers take over advance of the blank at the slower speed of the braking rollers. When the blank has been advanced, the trailing portion thereof is raised by a blast of air from a nozzle 34 to permit the following blank that is seized to the staggering wheel 5 to run under the raised portion of the preceding blank, to produce an initial overlap.

In order to reduce the impact of the leading edges of the blanks when engaged between the braking and pressure rollers, the braking rollers 14 and 15 are operated at a speed to prevent damage to the leading edges of the blanks. This produces only a partial overlap of the blanks, as represented by the dimension letter A, (FIG. 1) but the final overlap is completed in a second stage mechanism.

The second stage mechanism includes a staggering wheel 35 that is carried in forward alignment with the first staggering Wheel 5 on a transverse shaft 36. The shaft 36 is also journaled in the side frames 1 and 2 of the machine and is operated at the same peripheral speed as the braking rollers 14 and 15 in the direction of the arrow 37. The initially lapped blanks are conveyed from the braking rollers 14 and 15 onto the peripheral face 38 of the staggering wheel 35 by means of a suction disk 39 that is carried above and between the staggering wheels on a transverse shaft 40. The shaft 40 is also journaled in the side frames 1 and 2, and is rotated at a speed so that the peripheral face 41 of the suction disk also rotates at the same peripheral speed as the braking rollers 14 and 15. The initially lapped blanks are conveyed by the suction disk through an arcuate path 42 (FIG. 1) that is provided between the peripheral face 41 of the suction disk and arcuate guides 43 onto the peripheral face 38 of the second staggering wheel 35.

The staggering wheel 35 also has suction ports 44, 45 and 46 on one diametrical side thereof and corresponding ports 44', 45 and 46' on the opposite diametrical side, in the same manner as the ports of the first staggering Wheel 5, to engage the leading bottom flap portion of a foremost blank on one half-revolution and the immediately following blank on the other half-revolution, so that two blanks are transferred upon each revolution of the staggering wheel, to be further overlapped as indicated by the dimension letter B (FIG. 1).

As in the first stage of overlap, the leading blank is engaged between the pressure point of a pair of braking rollers 47 and 48 and pressure rollers 49. The braking rollers 47 and 48, as well as the pressure rollers 49, are of the same construction as the braking and pressure rollers previously described. The braking rollers 47 and 48 are similarly mountedon a transverse shaft 51, also jour naled in the side frames at a point which is further advanced with respect to the shaft 36 than the relation of the shaft 16 to the shaft 6, as shown in FIG. 3. The pressure rollers 49 are also carried on pins 51) of forked levers 52. The forked levers 52 and the holders 53 therefor are carried on pins 54.

To facilitate movement of a following blank under a preceding blank in further lapping the blanks, a nozzle 34' may be used in the manner of the nozzle 34 previously described, to direct an air blast under the rear portions of the upper blanks.

The blanks are now overlapped the desired amount and are slowed down to the speed of an oiftake conveyor 55-. The conveyor 55 may include endless belts 56 and 57 traveling around return rollers 58 and 59, so that the upper and lower runs 60 and 61 of the respective belts grip the staggered blanks therebetween and retain the position and overlap of the blanks as the blanks are carried thereby, for example, to the flap gumming mechanism (not shown) of the envelope making machine.

In setting up the above described apparatus for effect ing a staged lapping of envelope blanks in squamiform relation, the braking rollers 1415 and 4748 are adjusted on their respective shafts 16 and 51 so that the cylindrical faces of the rollers make contact with the side flap portions of the envelope blanks near the juncture thereof with the body portions. This is readily effected by loosening the set screws 22 which retain the rollers on the shafts and sliding them .to their desired position, after which the set screws 22 are tightened to retain the adjustment. The pressure rollers 24 and 49 are adjusted to track with the braking rollers. This is effected by loosening the set screws 33 which retain the holders 30 and 53 and sliding the forked levers 28 and 52 on the pins 29 and 54 to register the faces of the pressure rollers with the faces of the braking rollers, after which the set screws 53 are retightened. During this adjustment, the springs 32 may be adjusted to the proper tension by positioning the holders 30 and 53 relatively to the forked levers 28 and 52 with which they are associated.

Assuming that the envelope making machine is in operation and that the roll 4 or equivalent feed is advancing envelope blanks 3 individually, the envelope blanks are advanced into position for the midportions thereof to be engaged by the suction through the set of ports 1011 12, that is then in position to seize the bottom flap portion of the foremost blank and to carry the blank on the peripheral face 9 of the staggering wheel 5 until the leading edges of the side flap portions engage the bite between the braking rollers 14-15 and the pressure rollers 24. At this time, the suction through all of the suction ports is automatically shutoff, so that the travel of the envelope blank is now under the sole influence of the braking rollers 14 and 15. Since the braking rollers 14 and 15 are operated at a considerably slower peripheral speed than the peripheral speed of the stagger-ing Wheel, the foremost blank, which is now under the influence of the rollers 14 and 15, is now being advanced at a much slower speed than the succeeding blank that is picked :up by the suction through the other set of suction ports and seized to the face of the staggering wheel. The trailing or sealing flap portion of the slower moving preceding blank is raised by the blast of air from the nozzle 34, so that the succeeding blank is carried by the staggering wheel under the trailing edge of the slower moving blank, as indicated by the dot and dash lines of FIG. 3. On entrance of the leading edge of the foremost blank into the arcuate path 42, it is seized by the suction disk 39 and carried therewith at the same surface speed as established by the braking rollers 14 and 15. On continued rotation of the braking rollers, the leading edge of the succeeding blank is gripped under the preceding blank between the pressure points of the braking rollers 14 and 15 and their cooperating pressure rollers 24, so that it also is slowed to the same speed as the preceding blank, thus producing the first stage in the squamiform overlapping of the blanks, as indicated by the dimension letter A (FIG. 1).

Upon emerging f the leading edge of the foremost blank from the arcuate path 42, it is released by the suction disk 39 and seized to the second staggering wheel 35, since it is so timed that one of the sets of suction ports will be in position to engage the blank. The staggering wheel 35 now carries the blank at the peripheral speed of the rollers 14 and 15 and the suction disk 39, so that the leading edges of the side flaps engage in the bite between the braking rollers 47-48 and their pressure rollers 49, but by this time the suction through that set of ports of the staggering wheel 35 is shut off and the braking rollers 47-48, together with the pressure rollers 49, take over to further slow down the preceding blank to the speed of the conveyor belts 56 and 57. By this time, the other set of suction ports of the staggering wheel 35 has come into position to effect engagement with the succeeding blank, to fuither the movement of the succeeding blank under the slowed down preceding blank, thereby producing the desired overlap as indicated by the dimension letter B. The lapped blanks then continue their movement into the delivery conveyor, where they are held in orderly arrangement while being carried to the flap gumming mechanism (not shown) of the envelope machine.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 4 to 6, inclusive, employs a single staggering wheel conforming in construction to the first of the staggering wheels in the first described form of the invention. The same description and reference numerals are applied to the corresponding parts of the envelope making machine and to the staggering wheel. The primary difference is in the rollers which cooperate with the single staggering wheel in effecting the desired overlap in a single stage.

Extending transversely of the staggering wheel 5 for- Wandly thereof is a shaft 62 having its ends rotatably journaled in the side frames 1 and 2 of the envelope making machine. Fixed to the shaft 62 are laterally spaced apart braking rollers 63 and 64 that are driven in the direction of the arrow 65 (FIG. 4) by a gear 66 adapted to be driven from the shaft 6 of the staggering wheel, so that when the shaft 6 makes one half-revolution, the shaft 62 makes a half-revolution. The braking rollers 63 and 64 have diametrically opposed recesses 67 and 68, each having fiat bottomed portions 69 extending on parallel chords at opposite sides of the shaft 62 and terminating in radial shoulders 70 facing in the direction of rotation, to cooperate with arcuate faces 71 and 72 to provide transverse linear gripping edges 73 and 74 at opposite d-iametrical sides of the shaft to define the beginning of the arcuate faces 71 and 72. The ends of the arcuate faces are defined at the intersection of the fiat faces 69. The arcuate faces '71 and 72 of each braking roller cooperate with pressure rollers 75 to effect a movement of the blanks at a slower speed toward pairs of cooperating rollers 77-77, 78- 7 8', and 79-79 and corresponding pairs of counter rollers 80, 81 and 82. The rollers 77-77 and their counter rollers 88 are fixed to shafts 83 and 84, respectively, that are journaled in the side frames 1 and 2 of the envelope making machine. The rollers 79-79 and their counter rollers 82 are mounted on shafts 85 and 86, also journaled in the side frames 1 and 2 immediately ahead of the return rollers 58 and 59 of the conveyor belts 5 6 and 57. The shafts 87 and 88 for the rollers 78-78 and their counter rollers 81 are mounted in bearings 89 and 90 that are adjustably mounted on the side frames 1 and 2, so that the rollers 78-78 and their counter roll-ers 81 may be shifted to and from the rollers 79-79 and their counter rollers 82 as indicated by the double-headed arrows. All of the cooperating rollers are adjustably mounted on their respective shafts by means of set screws 91 carried by hubs 92 of the rollers.

Since the recesses 67 and 68 of the braking rollers 63 and 64 must be kept in timed relation with the respective sets of suction ports in the staggering wheel 5, the braking rollers are secured to their shaft 62 by keys 9?: and the set screws 91 in the hubs 92 thereof engage the keys, as shown in FIG. 5.

The pressure rollers 75 are carried by forked levers 94 and 95 and holders 96 that are fixed to pins 97 which project inwardly from the side frames 1 and 2. The pressure rollers 75 are mounted for free rotation on journals 98 that project laterally from the forward ends of the forked levers. The forked levers 94 and 95 are rockable on the pins 97 by springs 99 to hold the pressure rollers in pressing contact with the arcuate faces 71 and 7.2 thereof. The holders 96 are positioned within the forked portions 100 of the forked levers 94 and 95 and are adjustably retained in fixed position on the pins 97 by set screws 101. The holders have tail portions 102 for seating the springs 99, so that they bear against the under sides of the forked levers, as best shown in FIG. 6. In order to prevent the pressure rollers from dropping into the recesses 67 and 68, the holders also have rearwardly extending arms 103 carrying stop screws 104 which 'bear on the under side of pins 105 that extend across the forked portions 100 of the levers 94 and 95.

The upper pairs of rollers, 77-77, 78-78 and 79- 79', are driven by gears 106, 107 and 108, fixed to their respective shafts 83, 87 and 85, suitably connected in timed relation with the operating mechanism of the envelope making machine. The rollers 77-77 and 78- 78' rotate at the same peripheral speed as the gripping rollers 63 and 64 but the rollers 79-79 rotate at a slower peripheral speed, as later described.

A nozzle 34 is also provided to direct an air blast under the trailing portions of the blanks to facilitate passage of the leading edge of a succeeding blank thereunder.

In setting up the above described apparatus, the braking rollers and the rollers that cooperate therewith are adjusted in spaced apart relation on their respective shafts to engage the side flap portions of the blanks 3 that are to be run through the envelope making machine. T hese adjustments are made similarly to the adjustments described in connection with the first form of the invention. The rollers 78-78 and their counter rollers 81 are adjusted by loosening the supporting bearings 89 and 90 of the shafts thereof and sliding the bearings on the side frames of the machine in the proper direction as indicated by the double-headed arrows relatively to the rollers 79-79 and their counter rollers 82, so that the rollers 78-78 release the trailing edge of the side flap portions of a blank at the moment the rollers 79-7 9" and their counter rollers 82 grip the leading edge of the side flap portions of the blank.

Assuming that the envelope making machine is in operation and the roll 4 is delivering envelope blanks individually to the staggering wheel 5, on each half-revolution of the staggering wheel 5 a blank is seized and carried forwardly on the periphery of the staggering wheel in the direction of the arrow (FIG. 4), to be released by the suction for movement of the side flap portions into the passageway that is formed between the braking rollers 63 and 64 and their corresponding pressure rollers 75, since the timing is such that one of the recesses of the braking rol lers is opposite the pressure rollers 75. On continued rotation of the braking rollers the linear points 74 move into position to engage the surface of the blank and advance the blank at the same speed as the peripheral speed of the rollers 7777, which speed is substantially less than the speed of its movement by the staggering Wheel. A succeeding blank which has now been seized by the second set of suction ports is being advanced at the speed of the staggering wheel at the fast speed thereof to carry the succeeding blank under the trailing edge of the preceding blank, the entrance of the blank being assured by the blast of air from the nozzle 34. The braking rollers have also advanced one halfrevolution, so that the other recesses are in position to permit passage of the succeeding blank thereunder at the peripheral speed of the staggering Wheel. On further movement, both blanks are then gripped by the other pressure points of the braking rollers and the movement of both blanks is continued by reason of the gripping pressure at the slower speed in cooperation with the rollers 77--77 and their counter rollers 80. The blanks in lapped relation continue between the rollers 78-78 and their counter rollers 81, but as the trailing edge of each blank leaves the rollers 78-78, the leading edges of the side flap portions are immediately gripped between the rollers 797-9" and their counter rollers 82. The blank is slowed down to the peripheral speed of the rollers 7 9-79' which [has been selected according to the desired width of staggering. It is therefore obvious that an initial overlap of the blanks is effected as governed by the differential in peripheral speeds between the braking rollers 63 and 64 and the staggering wheel 5. For example, the peripheral speed of the braking rollers may be about one-fifth of the peripheral speed of the staggering wheel, and the desired width of staggering is controlled by tlhe rollers 79'--79'. The blanks are passed by the rollers 79'-79' directly between the conveying belts which retain the blanks in their proper squamiform relation while they are conveyed to the gumming mechanism of the envelope making machine.

The embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 also utilizes a single staggering wheel of the same construction as previously described. The difference is in the braking rollers and mounting of the pressure and counter rollers, as now to be described.

Extending transversely of the machine is a shaft 110 having its ends fixed in arms 11d and 112 that are journaled on the shaft 6 of the staggering roller 5 at the outer sides of the side frames 1 and 2 of the envelope making machine. The arms have depending portions 1'13 terminating in arcuate gear segments 114, the teeth of which mesh with the teeth of manually operated gears 115 to position the shaft 110 about the periphery of the staggering wheel. Extending forwardly of the arms 11d and 112 are projections 116 and .117, rotatably journaling a shaft 118 on which the braking rollers 119 and v120 are secured by keys 121 and set screws 122, similar to the adjustable mounting of the braking rollers previously described, whereby the braking rollers may be adjusted on the shaft laterally with respect to the sides of the staggering wheel 5 and in accordance with the size of the -envelope blanks. Extending rearwardly from the arms 111 and 112 are tongues 123 provided with arcuate slots 1 24 extending about the axis of oscillation of the arms, to accommodate clamping screws 125 that are threaded into the outer sides of the side frames 1 and 2, and which have heads to clamp the arms in adjusted position after the braking rollers have been positioned relatively to cooperating rollers 126 and 127. The rollers 126 and 127 are fixed to a transverse shaft 128 having its ends jour- S naled in the side frames 1 and 2, and one of them carrying a driving gear 129.

Mounted on the shaft at the outer sides of the staggering wheel are depending arms 130 and 131 carrying pins 132 and 133 on which forked levers 134 and 135 are adapted to rock under action of coil springs 136. Mounted in the forked portions 137 of the levers are holders 138, similar to the holders previously described, for seating the springs 136 in such a manner that the springs normally urge the forked levers in a clockwise direction as limited by stop screws 139 which are threadedly supported in the holders 138 and engage cross pins 140 carried by the forked portions of the levers 134 and 135. The arms 130 and 131 are fixed to the shaft 110 by set screws 141. The holders 138 are also fixed on the pins 132 and 133 by set screws 142.

Rotatably carried on pins 143 that extend laterally from the forward ends of the forked levers are pressure rollers 144 which cooperate with the braking rollers 119 and 126 to effect movement of the blanks, as later described The braking rollers 119 and 120 have cylindrical faces 145 from which project lugs 146 to cooperate with the pressure rollers in the feed of the envelope blanks. The pressure rollers, however, are prevented from making contact with the cylindrical periphery of the braking rollers upon adjustment of the stop screws 139. Counter rollers 147 are also provided for the rollers 126 and 127, however, the counter rollers are journaled on pins 148 that extend laterally from the forward ends of forked arms 149 adapted to rock on pins 150 that extend inwardly from the inner faces of the side frames 1 and 2, and which are retained by set screws 151 threaded into the side frames 1 and 2. The counter rollers 147 are yieldingly retained in pressing contact with the blanks by springs 152 which bear against the under side of the forked arms 149 and are seated on holders 153 that are mounted on the pins 150 within the forked portions of the forked arms 149. The holders are retained in a fixed position on the pins 150 by set screws 154 (see FIG. 9).

After the lapped blanks pass the rollers 126 and 127 and their counter rollers 147, the blanks are delivered directly between the runs 60 and 61 of the conveyor belts 56 and 57 of the envelope making machine, which deliver the lapped blanks to, for example, the gumming apparatus (not shown) for the sealing flaps.

In the last described form of the invention, the staggering wheel 5 takes over the blanks from the feed roll 4 to carry the blank as previously described in successive order toward the braking rollers 119 and 120. The mechanism is so timed that a foremost blank will pass through the gap between the pressure rollers 144 and the braking rollers 119120, since the lugs 146 have not yet reached a position to engage the side flap portions of the foremost blank, however, as soon as the lugs 146 engage the blank, it is gripped thereby so that the speed of the blank is reduced to the peripheral speed of the lugs and advanced to the rollers 126 and 147. Since the rollers 119 and 120 are rotated at twice the speed of the staggering wheel, each blank which the staggering wheel brings up runs under a preceding blank as the rear end of the preceding blank is raised by an air blast from the nozzle 34. This permits the succeeding blank to move easily under the slower moving preceding blank, as the timing is such that the lugs of the braking rollers have released the preceding blank and are out of gripping position. When the leading edges of the side flaps of a preceding blank have reached the slower running rollers 126 and 147, the lugs will have released the trailing edges, so that the blank slows down to the peripheral speed of the rollers 126 and 147. The under-running blank will, of course, be advanced at the faster speed of the staggering wheel until release of suction through the ports 10, 11 and 12. At this time the lugs 146 apply gripping pressure to retard the blank to the surface speed of the rollers 119 and 144.

By pivoting the arms 111 and 112 by means of the hand operated gear 115, the spacing between the shafts 118 and 128 can be adjusted to control the amount of overlap to be effected. The blanks now being in the desired squamiform relation, they are delivered to the conveyor belts.

It is obvious that the present invention employs relatively large staggering wheels with respect to the diameter of the braking rollers and the staggering wheels are located in the longitudinal path of travel of the blanks, and the braking rollers, together with their pressure rollers, are located at the respective ends or sides of the staggering wheels. The braking rollers are also in a position to be substantially tangent to a transverse plane that is also tangent to the peripheries of the staggering wheels. In this way, the forward edges of the bottom flaps of the respective blanks are seized in the center thereof and carried substantially past the braking rollers before being released by the time the forward edges of the side flaps engage the braking rollers. It will thus be noted that the forward portions of the bottom flaps are in underlapped relation with the preceding blank, even before the blank being underlapped makes contact with the braking rollers. This is an important and novel feature of the present invention because it results in pulling the blanks into lapped relation with the preceding blank, to eliminate deformation of the forward portions of the blanks.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An apparatus for squamiformly lapping envelope blanks having transverse front and rear flap portions and laterally extending side flap portions, including means for conveying the blanks at high speed one after another with the front transverse flap portions leading the lateral fiap portions, a staggering wheel having a peripheral means for gripping a forward portion of the leading transverse flap portion of a leading blank on the conveying means to carry said blank from the conveying means onto the periphery of the staggering wheel and subsequently to release said blank, braking rollers at opposite sides of the staggering wheel and located substantially tangent to a plane which is also tangent to the staggering wheel for engaging the side flap portions, means for rotating the braking rollers at a slower peripheral speed than the speed of the conveying means, pressure rollers to urge a preceding blank into driven contact with the periphery of the braking rollers for reducing speed of said preceding blank, means for rotating the staggering wheel at a peripheral speed corresponding to the speed of the con veying means to run said gripped portion of the blank carried thereon under said preceding blank to pull the side flap portions of said gripped blank into contact with the braking rollers at the time the gripped blank is released by said gripping means to effect advance of said blank at said reduced speed, and means for continuing advance of the lapped blanks at a speed corresponding with the speed of the braking rollers.

2. An apparatus for squamiformly lapping envelope blanks having transverse front and rear flap portions and laterally extending side flap portions as described in claim 1, and including a jet for discharging air under pressure beneath the said preceding blank to facilitate running of the gripped blank under the said preceding blank.

3. An apparatus for squamiformly lapping envelope blanks having transverse front and rear flap portions and laterally extending side flap portions as described in claim 1, and including means for supporting the braking and pressure rollers, and means for pivoting the supporting means for movement about the axis of rotation of the staggering wheel for adjusting the amount of overlap.

4. An apparatus for squamiformly lapping by stages envelope blanks having transverse front and rear flap portions and laterally extending side flap portions, including means for conveying the blanks at high speed one after another with the front transverse flap portions leading the lateral flap portions, a staggering wheel at said first stage and having a peripheral means for gripping a forward portion of the leading transverse flap portion of a leading blank on the conveying means to carry said blank from the conveying means onto the periphery of the staggering wheel and subsequently to release said blank, braking rollers at opposite sides of the staggering wheel and located substantially tangent to a plane which is also tangent to the staggering wheel for engaging the side flap portions, means for rotating the braking rollers at a slower peripheral speed than the speed of the conveying means, pressure rollers to urge a preceding blank into driven contact with the periphery of the braking rollers for reducing speed of said preceding blank, means for rotating the staggering wheel at a peripheral speed corresponding to the speed of the conveying means to run said gripped portion of the blank carried thereon under said preceding blank to pull the side flap portions of said gripped blank into contact with the braking rollers at the time the gripped blank is released by said gripping means to effect advance of said blank at said reduced speed, a second staggering wheel similar to the first, means for actuating said second staggering wheel at the peripheral speed of the first braking rollers, a second pair of braking and pressure rollers, means for actuating the second braking rollers at a reduced peripheral speed relatively to the speed of the second staggering wheel to effect further lapping of the blanks, and means for continuing advance of the lapped blanks at a speed correspondingly with the speed of the braking rollers.

5. An apparatus for squamiformly lapping by stages envelope blanks having transverse front and rear flap portions and laterally extending side flap portions as described in claim 4, and including a transfer roller between the first and second staggering wheels, and means for actuating the transfer wheel at the same peripheral speed as the peripheral speed of the first braking rollers.

6. An apparatus for lapping by steps blanks having transverse front portions, said apparatus including means for conveying the blanks one after another with the front transverse flap portions leading, a staggering wheel having peripheral means for gripping a forward portion of the leading transverse flap portion of a leading blank from the conveying means to carry the blank onto the periphery of the staggering wheel and for subsequent release of the blank, first braking rollers on opposite sides of the staggering wheel and located rearwardly of said release of the blank for engaging portions of the blank rearwardly from said portion gripped by the staggering wheel, means for rotating the first braking rollers at a slower peripheral speed than the peripheral speed of the staggering wheel, pressure rollers for urging a preceding blank into driven contact with peripheral portions of the first braking rollers for advancing said preceding blank at reduced speed, means for rotating the staggering wheel at a high peripheral speed to run the blank carried thereon under said preceding blank to provide a partial lap of said blanks for advance of the lapped blanks at the reduced peripheral speed of the first braking rollers, and second braking rollers for advancing the lapped blanks at a lower peripheral speed than the peripheral speed of the first braking rollers whereby the first braking rollers increase the lap of said blanks.

7. An apparatus for lapping by steps blanks as described in claim 6, wherein the first braking rollers and the staggering wheel are in timed relation and wherein said first braking rollers have peripheral portions of less radius than the blank contacting portions thereof, and means for holding the pressure rollers out of contact with said portions of less radius to provide passes through which the front transverse flap is pulled by the staggering wheel in effecting said partial lap and whereby the contacting portions of the first braking rollers make contact with faces of the partially lapped blanks.

8. An apparatus for lapping by steps. blanks as described in claim 6, and including means for supporting the first braking and pressure rollers, and means for pivoting the supporting means for movement about the axis of rotation of the staggering wheel for adjusting the amount of lap.

9. An apparatus for lapping by steps blanks as described in claim 7, and including means for supporting the first braking and pressure rollers, and means for pivoting the supporting means for movement about the axis of rotation of the staggering wheel for adjusting the amount of lap.

10. An apparatus for lapping by steps blanks having transverse front and rear portions, said apparatus including means for conveying the blanks one after another with the front transverse flap portions leading, a staggering wheel having peripheral means for gripping a forward pontion of the leading transverse flap portion of a leading blank on the conveying means to carry the blank onto the periphery of the staggering wheel and for subsequent release of the blank, first braking rollers on opposite sides of the staggering wheel and rearwardly of said release of the blank for engaging portions of the blank to the rear and laterally of the portion gripped by the staggering wheel, means for rotating the first braking rollers at a slower peripheral speed than the peripheral speed of the staggering wheel, pressure rollers to urge a preceding blank into driven contact with peripheral portions of the first braking rollers for advancing said preceding blank at reduced speed, means for rotating the staggering wheel at a peripheral speed corresponding with the speed of the conveying means to run said blank carried thereon under said preceding blank to provide a partial lap of said blanks and for engagement of the partially lapped blanks by the first braking rollers, means for continuing the advance of the partially lapped blanks at the peripheral speed of the first braking rollers, and second braking rollers forwardly from said advancing means for continuing movement of previously lapped blanks at a lower speed than the speed of said advancing means, said second braking rollers being spaced from the advancing means a distance to engage forward edges of the partially lapped blanks at the time of release of rear 12 edges of the blanks by said advancing means to increase the lap of said blanks.

11. An apparatus for lapping by steps blanks having transverse front portions, said apparatus including means for conveying the blanks one after another with the front transverse flap portions leading, afirst staggering wheel having peripheral means for gripping a forward portion of the leading transverse flap portion of a leading blank on the conveying means to carry the blank onto the periphery of said first staggering wheel and for subsequent release of the blank, first braking rollers on opposite sides of the first staggering wheel and located rearwardly of said release of the blank for engaging portions of the blank rearwardly from said portion gripped by the first staggering wheel, means for rotating the first braking rollers at a slower peripheral speed than the peripheral speed of the first staggering wheel, pressure rollers for urging a preceding blank into driven contact with peripheral portions of the first braking rollers for advancing said preceding blank at reduced speed, means for rotating the first staggering wheel at a high peripheral speed to run said blank cariied thereon under said preceding blank to provide a partial lap of said blanks, a second staggering wheel similar to the first and located in the path of the partially lapped blanks, means for actuating the second staggering wheel at the peripheral speed of the first braking'rollers, a second pair of braking rollers, means for actuating the second pair of braking rollers at a reduced peripheral speed relatively to the speed of the second staggering wheel to increase the lap of the blanks, and means for continuing advance of the lapped blanks at a speed corresponding with the speed of the second pair of braking rollers.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,303,370 Novick May 13, 1919 2,694,351 Winkler et al Nov. 16, 1954 2,772,611 Heywood Dec. 4, 1956 2,830,508 Novick Apr. 15, 1958 2,851,934 Heywood Sept. 16-, 1958 

4. AN APPARATUS FOR SQUAMIFORMLY LAPPING BY STAGES ENVELOPE BLANKS HAVING TRANSVERSE FRONT AND REAR FLAP PORTIONS AND LATERALLY EXTENDING SIDE FLAP PORTIONS, INCLUDING MEANS FOR CONVEYING THE BLANKS AT HIGH SPEED ONE AFTER ANOTHER WITH THE FRONT TRANSVERSE FLAP PORTIONS LEADING THE LATERAL FLAP PORTIONS, A STAGGERING WHEEL AT SAID FIRST STAGE AND HAVING A PERIPHERAL MEANS FOR GRIPPING A FORWARD PORTION OF THE LEADING TRANSVERSE FLAP PORTION OF A LEADING BLANK ON THE CONVEYING MEANS TO CARRY SAID BLANK FROM THE CONVEYING MEANS ONTO THE PERIPHERY OF THE STAGGERING WHEEL AND SUBSEQUENTLY TO RELEASE SAID BLANK, BRAKING ROLLERS AT OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE STAGGERING WHEEL AND LOCATED SUBSTANTIALLY TANGENT TO A PLANE WHICH IS ALSO TANGENT TO THE STAGGERING WHEEL FOR ENGAGING THE SIDE FLAP PORTIONS, MEANS FOR ROTATING THE BRAKING ROLLERS AT A SLOWER PERIPHERAL SPEED THAN THE SPEED OF THE CONVEYING MEANS, PRESSURE ROLLERS TO URGE A PRECEDING BLANK INTO DRIVEN CONTACT WITH THE PERIPHERY OF THE BRAKING ROLLERS FOR REDUCING SPEED OF SAID PRECEDING BLANK, MEANS FOR ROTATING THE STAGGERING WHEEL AT A PERIPHERAL SPEED CORRESPONDING TO THE SPEED OF THE CONVEYING MEANS TO RUN SAID GRIPPED PORTION OF THE BLANK CARRIED THEREON UNDER SAID PRECEDING BLANK TO PULL THESIDE FLAP PORTIONS OF SAID GRIPPED BLANK INTO CONTACT WITH THE BRAKING ROLLERS AT THE TIME THE GRIPPED BLANK IS RELEASED BY SAID GRIPPING MEANS TO EFFECT ADVANCE OF SAID BLANK AT SAID REDUCED SPEED, A SECOND STAGGERING WHEEL SIMILAR TO THE FIRST, MEANS FOR ACTUATING SAID SECOND STAGGERING WHEEL AT THE PERIPHERAL SPEED OF THE FIRST BRAKING ROLLERS, A SECOND PAIR OF BRAKING AND PRESSURE ROLLERS, MEANS FOR ACTUATING THE SECOND BRAKING ROLLERS AT A REDUCED PERIPHEAL SPEED RELATIVELY TO THE SPEED OF THE SECOND STAGGERING WHEEL TO EFFECT FURTHER LAPPING OF THE BLANKS, AND MEANS FOR CONTINUING ADVANCE OF THE LAPPED BLANKS AT A SPEED CORRESPONDINGLY WITH THE SPEED OF THE BRAKING ROLLERS. 